YourNeonGod

Who would you say are the most important gods, in a sense of learning about the religion, of Hinduism?

I am currently working on a final paper dealing with Hinduism, and I am at a part where I am discussing this. I am looking at the various gods my texts provide, but there are many. I am looking for your opinions on the most important in the religion, the most worshipped, the most discussed when discussing Hinduism.

Thanks

Seraphim

Try reading about Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Volker.Doormann

The Brahma Sutra of Hinduism is:

"Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste neh na naste kinchan"

"There is only one God, not the second; not at all, not at all, not in the least bit."

Brahma (not to mixed up with Brahm, the only one god), Vishnu and Shiva, are (merely) the trinity of principles of physical life. Creation (Brahma), preserving (Vishnu) and distortion/recretion (Shiva) doormann.org/the0.htm + doormann.org/the4.htm, as it is YHWH (‘I am the life’) in Judaism. YHWH is (merely) one of more Gods (‘Elohim’ plural) in Judaism, also that, what does create physical life ; Hebrew HWH (‘{physical} live giver’) = Chavvah = { khav-vaw } = 'EVA' ='EVE' is equal to sHIWaH in Hinduism, as it is simple to perceive from the very direct symbols of sexuality connected with Shiva or the naked 'khav-vaw' (Eve).

Volker

hinduwoman

The Mother Goddess in her various forms --- goddess of wealth, goddess of learning, of war, of harvest ---- etc. etc. is very important too.
She is not seen as something separate from Brahman or the Hindu Trinity --- they are all part of the same God.

reverendmoss

Wow. I'd seen the connection of JHVH and Eve before, but never linked to Shiva this way. An amazing insight. Thanks, Volker!

Volker.Doormann

Yes, that's right. I have desribed it with pictures on my 1st page above, which is titled with the Goddess, that all of these three principles has as well female aspects as also male aspects.

Volker

bagong

Actually, his theory has no basis whatsoever. The S and H in "Shiva" is merely the inaccurate English rendering of the palatal silibant, which has its own single character in both Indian and Hebrew writing systems. There is also no "h" or visarga at the end of the word, so the only letter YHWH and 'Siva have in common is the v/w - hardly an astounding similarity.

In addition, 'Siva in Sanskrit means "auspicious", "benevolent" not "life giver." The name was unknown in the Vedic period - the god later identified as 'Siva is actually called Rudraa in the Vedas, meaning "Howling" "Roaring" - i.e. a terrifying storm god. The "life giver" in the Vedas is called Prajaapati "Lord of Creatures/Procreation."

Volker.Doormann

I think, you are not competent to judge on this.

If one is looking for the symbols connected to Shiva, he can see a very broad basis to the identity of the Sanskrit Shiva and the Hebrew Chavah = Eva.

i.) Mt. Kailash is the mountain of god Shiva, because the shape of Mt. Kailash is formed like a Lingam, who is sitting there in eternal sexual meditation with his wife Parvati. Four Rivers have its source in the Mt. Kailash, All four rivers have a special meaning. The rivers streaming from Mt. Kailash are named: Brahmaputra, Sutlej, Karlani and Ganges. Sculptures of Shiva do show this streaming river/water out of his head doormann.tripod.com/parvati6.jpg and the Shivalinga symbol in the Yoni bottom of the picture. These symbol is also known in Sanskrit as 'Omm mani padme hum' what means 'Oh you jewel in the lotus', and is a holy hidden sexual symbol of a linga (jewel) in a lotus (Yoni). This is one part of a common basis.

ii.) There is a head in the Hebrew Genesis from that are streaming four rivers to water the 'garden of joy' (Hebrew: 'gan eden'). The garden of joy is the Yoni, and the tree of life is the jewel or Lingam. The rivers streaming in the Hebrew Genesis in the 'Garden of joy' are named: Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrat. Gen 2:9:... and he put the 'Tree of Life' inmidst of the 'garden of joy' ... In the 'garden of joy' a river is flowing, to water it (Gen. 2:10). The four 'rivers' watering the Yoni have a clear meaning from Hebrew: The first phase is called Pishon, it means growing, increasing, enlarge. Then a circle shaped hole (Havilah) is 'comprised' (cabab). In the second phase something is 'bursting out' (Gihon). In the third phase something is 'moving' (halak) 'a step' 'rapidly' (Chiddqel) 'forwards' (qidmah) (Ashshuwr). In the fourth phase something is 'grow tired' or 'collapsing' or 'break down' (per-awth=EuPhrat)." This is a hidden describing of a sexual act to create life. And this is the other part of a common basis of Shiva and Eva.

The worshipping of the Lingam is mentioned in the bible, as a man having his symbol of Life YHWH in a box and is dancing without pants through the streets to impress woman. The worshipping of Yoni was a well known practice in Arabia prior to Muhammad and was taken to the rituals of Islam not knowing the meaning of worshipping the holy Mother Goddess symbol the holy Yoni doormann.tripod.com/the4.htm.

If you like, I can name you a lot of more symbols, which have a common base about Shiva and Eva.

Volker
(offline some weeks)

Sarpedon

The relative importance of hindu gods has changed over the course of the estimated 4 millenia of hinduisms written history. In the earliest book, the Vedas, the modern "trinity" of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva was unknown. The early gods were more primal in nature. Of special importance were Indra, king of gods, Agni, god of fire (especially sacrificial fire), Soma, god of the intoxicating drink used to induce religious visions, (also identified with water, viewed as being comlementary to Agni's fire) as well as others who escape me at the moment. The Rg veda (yes, r is the vowel) focuses mainly on those three, as well as another, shadowy deity, who, I can't remember if he is named, but is identified with Man, the Sacrificer, the Sacrificed, and the god who is sacrificed to. This is one of the central ideas of Hinduism and all other religions derived from it. It also parallels the idea of Jesus as god sacrificing himself to god. I suggest you read the first few chapters of the Rg veda, (often called the rig veda) but you can stop when you get to the tedious parts about how, exactly to perform the various forms of sacrifice.

During the later, classical period, the trinity, and especially Vishnu, the preserver, rise to prominece. Vishnu is one of the major characters of the two most important epics of India, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, in the form of two of his incarnations (there have been 7 to date, there's supposed to me another one coming up(Some say the 8th was the buddha) ((some say the 9th was Jesus))) Rama for the Ramayana, Krishna for the Mahabharata. These are very long, but good abridged versions less than 100 pages each are available. But you should read one chapter of the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad-Gita, in its entirety. Its not very long and can be gotten from any bookstore or from your local headquarters of the Hare Krishnas. (just ignore the commentary that comes with their version) In art, Vishnu has four arms and blue skin. Shiva has at least 6 arms and is usually dancing (trampling the Dwarf of Ignorance). I can't think of what Brahma is usually shown as. (help!)

In the more recent periods, other deities have come to prominence. Ganesh (or Ganesha) the ever popular elephant headed god brings happiness and prosperity. Shakti, sometimes called the wife of Shiva is an interesting goddess of birth and death, combining many attributes of both Brahma and Shiva. The most famous rite of worship for her (at least in the west) is the Kundalini yoga. This profoundly influenced psychologist Carl Jung. It's basic premise is that there lives a form of spiritual energy, in the form of a serpent (Kundalini) living in your tailbone. The yoga focuses on awakening the serpent and causing it to travel up through the body, into various power places or Chakras within the body, till it exits the top of the head, at which time unity with the ultimate is achieved. In hindu art you will often see mystics with streamers emerging from their heads, this is what is happening. Much of the specifics of the Kundalini Yoga are probably innappropriate for a high school paper (is it high school or college?)

The perspective I have just given is that of the western scholar. As is repeatedly pointed out by various rude members of the forum, I may be misconstruing certain parts. Please consult primary sources, and take everything above as a gerneral outline, and in no ways complete.

bagong

Volker: My argument pertains exclusively to your suggestion that the Saskrit word 'Siva is related to the Hebrew root of the word Eve. There may well be some mythological parallels (although whether this would prove a direct link is another matter); but that was not what I arguing against.

BTW, OM ma.ni padme huu.m is the mantra of the Bodhisattva Avalokite'svara, not 'Siva.

Sarpedon's summary is basically correct, although with a tradition as vast and diverse as Hinduism it's obviously impossible to give a completely undistorted view in just a few paragraphs.

I would like to recommend The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India by Christopher John Fuller as an excellent and very readable introduction to contemporary popular Hindu belief and practice. The stress is on "contemporary" and "popular": there is virtually no discussion of the classical scriptures and philosophy, Brahmanical ritual, or the historical development of the various streams in Hinduism. For those subjects, I would recommend The Sacred Thread: Hinduism in Continuity and Diversity by J.L. Brockington.